This website was active during the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of independence of the Republic of Slovenia (from the 20th anniversary of the plebiscite on independence on 23 December 2010 until the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia on 23 December 2011). The site has not been updated since, but the content is still available for browsing.

As we mark the 20th anniversary of Slovenia’s membership of the United Nations this month, we look back on two decades of a country’s success, in which Slovenia has been a model to nations aspiring to build peaceful, democratic and prosperous societies. More ›

On 15 January 1992, the European Community, the forerunner of today's European Union, recognised the Republic of Slovenia. A door opened to recognitions which began flooding in from all over the world. There is, unfortunately, not enough space in this column to include all the memories and so we published only fragments of the Slovenian diplomats' memoirs, which are available in full, together with the memoirs of other diplomats, on the webpage of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More ›

On 8 October 1991, Slovenia introduced its own currency and set out on a path of monetary independence. The tolar, its official legal tender at the time, was one of the most important attributes of the Slovenian State. Monetary independence was a precondition in gaining the young country's international recognition. On 1 January 2007, the tolar, our trustworthy and stable currency, was replaced by the euro. Slovenia was the first of the ten countries to have joined the EU in 2004 to adopt the euro. More ›

On 23 December 1991, the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, its first constitution as an independent and democratic state. As the country's primary legal document, the Constitution stipulates the foundations of state authority and the position of individuals in the Republic of Slovenia. It guarantees a democratic political system with a parliamentary form of state authority, a state governed by the rule of law, and a social state based on respect for human dignity. More ›

The reason why culture features prominently in the national identity of Slovenes is mainly due to the fact that Slovenes may quite possibly perceive culture in a broader sense than other nations: culture helped pave the way toward Slovenia’s independence and resistance within foreign economic and political systems, and at the same time served as a firm basis for the spiritual and material progress of the country’s inhabitants.. More ›

The Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Federations is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Today, also owing to sports, Slovenia is a recognisable independent country of the world. Twenty years of participation by Slovenian sportsmen and sportswomen at major sports events have considerably contributed to the country’s reputation. Over these years, Slovenian athletes have won 151 gold medals at championships in various sports disciplines. More ›

Twenty years ago, Slovenia became a new global tourist destination. It had a centuries-long history of tourism that, since the first half of the 19th century, it had marketed under the names of the various political entities of which it was a part. More ›

The Museum of Architecture and Design (Muzej za arhitekturo in oblikovanje) celebrates Slovenia’s 20th birthday with its project 'Designing the Republic'. It is a creative and forward-looking contribution of the museum to the events marking the anniversary of Slovenia's independence and includes an exhibition, a catalogue and short films about architecture. The aim of this exhibition is to verify the effectiveness of approaches used in architecture and design and to complement them with photographic responses. More >

One of the most memorable moments in contemporary Slovenian history was the sight of the huge Slovenian flag blowing in the wind on the square in front of the Parliament after Slovenia's independence was announced.As a country in the heart of the old continent, Slovenia has a rich story to tell and great symbols attached to its chest. It has been a proud part of several multinational empires, kingdoms, and countries that all influenced the national insignia of today’s Republic of Slovenia. Read more >

In mass media, there will be many reflections on the twentieth anniversary of Slovenia as a country, on the path we have travelled, transition, social justice and our international situation. It is appropriate to take a look at the ritual side of the newly formed country, which distinctively unifies all the key social changes. Slovenian celebrations of statehood can be divided into four to five periods. The first period lasted from 1991 to 1994 ... Read more >

Twenty years ago, the historic dream of an independent state of Slovenia shared by many of our predecessors came true. A feeling of pride, confidence and immense unity prevailed. Slovenia declared its independence on 25 June 1991. How do they look upon those times today, 20 years later, and how are they transposed to the present by the then President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, and the first Prime Minister, Lojze Peterle? Read more >

The creation of the STA and the beginnings of its activities are closely linked with the birth of the Slovene state. The creators of the STA were already at the end of the 1980s aware of the importance of information for shaping the media image of Slovenia which was at that time on the threshold of gaining its independence. Such thinking bore fruits on 24 May 1991, when the contract on founding the STA was signed. A few days later, on 3 June, the STA was registered as a limited liability company, and Dejan Verčič became its first general manager. Read more ›

The linden tree can be found in large parts of Central and Southern Europe, from the Iberian peninsula to the Black Sea. In ancient Greece and Rome, this tree was a symbol of friendship and tender, faithful love, and many European peoples, especially those of Slavic origin, elevated the linden tree to a ritual tree that became an object of worship. In Slovenian folk tradition, this attitude towards the linden tree can be seen, in particular, in folk dances ... Read more >

The exhibition “Identity of Slovenia – Designing for the State,” held to mark the 20 years of independence in the Republic of Slovenia, was organized by the country’s central design organization, the Brumen Foundation, with the support and collaboration of the Ministry of Culture and National Gallery. The exhibition, on view at the National Gallery until mid-May 2011, is now moving to Slovenia’s representations abroad to display the country’s design highlights to the foreign public. More >

There is little doubt that the media played a key role in the process of Slovenia's gaining independence 20 years ago. The war for independence was fought largely in the public eye, and the media was used as the main tool for communicating our truth. Who does not remember Jelko Kacin, the then Minister of Information, and his confident TV appearances as he steered and won the media war? Read more >

When statistics are mentioned, people often call to mind a dull set of numbers that can only be interpreted by statisticians and mean nothing to ordinary people. But this is not true, especially if we take figures over a period of several years when comparing statistics. Let alone a period of 20 years. Read more >

On 23 June 2010, a group of leading historians, museum experts and designers mounted a contemporary exhibition at Ljubljana Castle that presents Slovenian history in a concise, transparent and comprehensive way with an emphasis on selected topics and personalities. It is intended for both Slovenian and foreign visitors, with Slovenian history being presented in a popular way. Read more >